


Hypothetically Speaking

by Angelikah



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Casual Sex, Denial is a hell of a drug, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Hart of Dixie AU, No Feelings At All Here, Smut, Texting, very casual
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:07:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23364430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelikah/pseuds/Angelikah
Summary: Caroline was totally enjoying her normal predictable life. Really, she was! And then Klaus, a New York doctor with an attitude problem, came and ruined it. Who comes out of nowhere to take over their estranged dead father's medical practice, anyway? Weirdos, that's who. She hated him, but like, at least he was cute to look at. His one good quality. Just because she was on a very strict no-jerk-boyfriend diet doesn't mean she can't look at the menu, right?
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 21
Kudos: 82





	1. Small Town Life

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to upload my fics to ao3 as well now, but we'll see if I remember. Thank you to Morgan (honestgrins) for beta work.

“Hello, love.”

Caroline glared determinedly at the drippings of someone’s cajun fries that had formed a stubborn crust on the bartop, scrubbing them with an intense amount of concentration to avoid giving Klaus Mikaelson even a single moment of her precious time.

Unfortunately, Klaus didn’t seem to be in the mood to respect her commitment to ignoring him.

“Caroline?”

“What?” she asked, resisting the urge to glance up at him.

“I’d like a drink.”

“I’ll get to you in a minute,” Caroline said, hoping he’d walk away before she’d finished her cleaning job. Unfortunately, he lingered by the counter, waiting. She could feel his eyes on her as she worked, the prickle on the back of her neck just bothering her more.

“Okay, fine. What can I get you?” she asked, tossing the dirty rag into the bucket by the counter.

“Do you have specials?”

"None you'd like, since you don't like, what was it again?" she asked, tapping her chin dramatically, trying not to laugh at Klaus's expression, which was one of someone who knew they were about to be reminded of something they dearly wished they had not made the mistake of doing. "I think you called it 'small-town food'?"

"Let's say it's grown on me," Klaus said, sinking down into a chair at the bar and looking at her expectantly. 

"Yeah, okay."

“Your customer service skills might be sub-par, sweetheart, but I didn't expect you to be quite so hostile."

"My customer service skills are not  _ lacking _ ," she bit out, resisting the urge to grab a bottle of vodka and crack it over his stupid smug head. "And I will remind you,  _ again _ , that I have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason, so please stop being a jerk."

"My apologies," he said, his dimples cutting into his cheeks. "Didn't mean to offend."

“You absolutely did, but I'll let it go for now. Can I get you something so that you'll stop bothering me?”

He seemed more amused than offended at her saccharine tone and frosty smile. It was infuriating. “Gin and tonic?”

“Coming right up.”

**XXX**

[Caroline][8:22pm]: Doctor Dipshit is here again.

[Caroline][8:23pm]: to bother me

[Caroline][8:24pm]: why cant he go back to new york like he said he would

[Caroline][8:24pm]: just having Dr. Lockwood is a sufficient amount of doctors imo

[Caroline][8:24pm]: he’s ruining my party

[Bonnie][8:27pm]: :(

[Bonnie][8:27pm]: Whats he doing?

[Caroline][8:28pm]: Existing. being annoying.

[Caroline][8:28pm]: he keeps calling me love

[Caroline][8:29pm]: its patronizing and the girls keep swooning about it because he’s got an accent

[Caroline][8:29pm]: as though hot people cant be total assholes

[Caroline][8:30pm]: which he is

[Bonnie][8:31pm]: hot?

[Caroline][8:31pm]: no

[Caroline][8:31pm]: i mean OBJECTIVELY yes

[Caroline][8:32pm]: but not enough to outweigh that he is THE WORST

[Bonnie][8:33pm]: So Caroline

[Bonnie][8:33pm]: I’m just going to throw something out there

[Caroline][8:35pm]: ?

[Bonnie][8:35pm]: Just as a thought experiment

[Bonnie][8:36pm]: Do you think it’s possible that you might like Klaus?

[Caroline][8:43pm]: ????

[Caroline][8:43pm]: WHAT

[Caroline][8:43pm]: No???

[Caroline][8:43pm]: He’s a DICK

[Caroline][8:44pm]: totally rude

[Caroline][8:44pm]: and like WRONG

[Caroline][8:44pm]: about EVERYTHING

[Caroline][8:44pm]: he told me my cocktails were “fine”

[Caroline][8:44pm]: who DOES THAT

[Caroline][8:45pm]: they’re so much better than FINE

[Caroline][8:45pm]: !!!!!

[Bonnie][8:46pm]: Caroline

[Caroline][8:46pm]: and when i told him that i was organizing the parade he LAUGHED

[Caroline][8:46pm]: AND he made fun of my bullet journal

[Caroline][8:47pm]: WHy would I EVER find that even SLIGHTLY attractive

[Bonnie][8:48pm]: Okay sorry

[Bonnie][8:48pm]: I was just asking

[Caroline][8:50pm]: well i dont

[Caroline][8:50pm]: he always comes to the bar with his dumb sleeves rolled up and his stupid dimples and BOTHERS me for NO REASON

[Bonnie][8:52pm]: Okay that description totally makes it sound like you hate him

[Caroline][8:55pm]: I do not like him

[Caroline][8:55pm]: He’s a bad person

[Bonnie][8:56pm]: i hope you know im screenshotting this for my speech at your wedding

[Caroline][8:58pm]: hilarious.

[Caroline][8:59pm]: ugh he’s coming back to the bar

[Caroline][8:59pm]: i’ll ttyl. i have to tell him we don’t serve french 75s for the eightieth time

**XXX**

"Jesus christ," Caroline muttered, kicking the lake water and fanning herself with her hand. The blistering heat and humidity was making her hair frizz, and an uncomfortable sweat was clinging to her skin. Her little house that she rented on the edge of the mayor's property didn't have air conditioning, unfortunately, and so she was stuck at the side of the lake trying desperately to cool down while little kids screamed and ran all over the place around her, their parents having given up on controlling them. It was too hot for sunbathing, but she'd slathered on sunscreen anyway, knowing she'd be out longer than she should.

"Hello, love. May I join you?"

She looked up to see Klaus standing beside her in swim trunks. He looked similarly miserable, his curls sticking to his face from sweat. "Yeah, sure," she said, trying to keep her traitor eyes from roving his torso. She scooted over slightly even though she didn't need to, gesturing for him to sit by her. He sank down, putting his feet in the water as well and sighing in relief.

"I hadn't realized it got quite so hot here."

Talking about the weather? Seriously?

"Does it get this hot in New York?" she asked, deciding to indulge him.

"Not really, no. And I grew up in London, which is quite foggy. It's definitely quite the change."

"Yeah, I guess it would take some getting used to."

"Yes. I used to live in an air-conditioned flat, you see," he said, dimples cutting into his cheeks, as though that was supposed to be cute.

"Oh, well  _ golly _ , I'm sorry you're suffering without your usual amenities," she said dryly.

"I chose to come here, I suppose," he said, shrugging.

"Yeah, and so far I don't know why, since all you seem to do is say how much you hate it," Caroline said irritably. "This is my home, you know."

"It's just taking some getting used to," he said, sounding almost defensive. "In New York I had a doorman and air conditioning and a gym on the bottom floor of my apartment building."

"Yeah, and here we're peasants, I guess," she said with a toss of her hair. "I don't know why you're here if you hate it so much."

He had the decency to look a bit chastened at that. "My apologies. I'm here because Dr. Ansel was my birth father, and when he died he left me his medical practice," Klaus said. "I'm here to get more experience before I apply for a fellowship."

"Well, it'll be hard to get that experience if you're so obvious about hating it here that no one comes to you," Caroline pointed out.

Klaus smiled slightly, though it didn't seem happy. "Yes. Especially since if I don't bring in at least a third of the patients every month I can lose my stake in the practice."

"Well, maybe the reason you're not getting patients is because we know you want to skedaddle the second you can. People don't trust you."

"I can't fathom why people wouldn't trust me. I went to one of the best medical schools in the country--"

"Which means nothing here," Caroline snapped. "People don't care about your credentials, Klaus. They just want to feel heard and cared about. Dr. Lockwood has been here forever, and people trust him because he listens and cares about them. Maybe you should try it."

He seemed a bit lost at that. 

"Anyway, I think I'm going to go for a swim," she said, deciding to give into the temptation to cool down. She felt uncomfortable, shifting on the lakeside, feeling the rocks dig into her thighs. 

"In the lake?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No, in the dirt," she said sarcastically. "Where else?"

"This doesn't seem very sanitary," he said, grimacing at her piercing look.

"Well, if I get a disease from it I'll just have to come see you, won't I?" 

He smiled slightly. "Not Dr. Lockwood?"

She shrugged. "I have a soft spot for helping the needy, I guess."

"I don't need your help, love," he said grumpily, his eyes lingering on her body as she stripped off her shirt and stood to shed her cutoffs, revealing the bikini she was wearing underneath. She lowered herself into the lake with a little splash, treading water and grinning at him.

"That's not what it sounded like," she said. "Anyway, if you want to  _ risk a disease _ , you're welcome to join me."

She wasn't sure why she'd offered, but after an hour of splashing around and coaxing out dimpled grins and surprised laughs, she found she didn't regret it.

And if her eyes lingered on the way the water dripped off his forearms when they got out, that wasn't a big deal, right? It was okay to appreciate his body, even if he could be a jerk.

**XXX**

[Caroline][2:24am]: okay so hypothetically

[Caroline][2:25am]: for the sake of just like....a thought experiment

[Caroline][2:25am]: what if i did like doctor dipshit

[Caroline][2:25am]: but only because he has nice arms

[Caroline][2:26am]: not like for his personality or anything

[Caroline][2:27am]: ???

**XXX**

[Bonnie][8:02am]: jesus christ

**XXX**

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Bonnie said, dropping her purse by the door of the barn and walking over to where Caroline was sorting the decorations, sitting down beside her at the table.

"Totally fine! Want a beer?" Caroline chirped, already rooting around in the cooler Matt had brought. He'd left already, his duties as float-constructor finished except for the back part, which he would do after lunch, and now all that was left was for Caroline and Bonnie to decorate the float. They had two days, but people would probably flock to the bar after the Founder's Day parade, and she had to prepare the bar. It was best to get it done as early as possible.

"You're drinking?" Bonnie asked, her eyebrows raised. 

Caroline shrugged. She knew it was probably not the  _ greatest  _ choice to be drinking while they did this, but she and Bonnie had been decorating floats every year since they could walk. Plus, all the building stuff was done. It's not like they were going to be carrying heavy objects.

She easily popped the beer top off with her keys, handing it to Bonnie and standing up, wiping her hands on her jeans and taking a swig of her own. "So, I was thinking like, a yellowy-green color palette this year? But pastel. Hey, I see your face, Bonnie Bennett, but I swear it'll look good at the end. Don't you trust my judgment?"

Bonnie pursed her lips. "I mean, about this? Yeah, I guess."

"What do you mean,  _ about this _ ? What don't you trust my judgment about?" Caroline asked, both dreading and knowing the answer.

"Whether people meant to be petty or not, whether you need to take a rest from a project, and men."

Ugh, Bonnie knew her too well.

"Hey, thinking people are trying to sabotage you in a beauty pageant is totally reasonable, especially one as important as Miss Mystic Falls," Caroline said haughtily. "And if I don't work hard, who will?"

Bonnie's lips twitched. "That's fair."

" _ And  _ I don't have bad taste in men, Bonnie."

"That hasn't been my experience," Bonnie said dryly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Tyler? Stefan? Liam?"

Caroline wrinkled her nose, shoving a bag of deflated balloons at Bonnie, who sank down on a chair to use the air pump to blow them up. "Those were all outliers. My taste is fine."

"Caroline, those are all of your exes. You cannot have the whole sample be outliers. That's not how science works.."

"Matt was fine!"

"Yeah, one okay boyfriend in middle school does not a lifelong pattern make."

"That isn't the point," Caroline said impatiently, carefully measuring out the length of a streamer and cutting it off the roll. "The  _ point  _ is that Klaus is the worst person alive, basically. Sure, I think he's attractive. And smart. And funny. But he sucks, and I'd never date him."

"It does explain why you like him, though."

Caroline huffed, barely restraining herself from throwing a soft object at her best friend. "I...I can't believe I tell you anything."

"It's because  _ I  _ have good judgment. And give good advice," Bonnie said, beginning to pump the air into balloons.

"Yeah, that's true."

"So, other than crushing reluctantly on Klaus Mikaelson, what have you been up to?"

Caroline shrugged, the rip of tape cutting through the air before she answered as she carefully stuck the streamer to the float. "Nothing much. Just dealing with the bar and new stuff as it comes. I didn't realize it would be this hard, but it's been so...." she trailed off.

"Fulfilling?"

"Yeah! I like it a lot. It's nice to have control over my own schedule and to make all of the rules. I feel like it's going really well."

"That's great!"

"Yeah. The whole thing would crash and burn if I had to go on vacation, but other than that it's going pretty great," Caroline said, unable to suppress a smile. "I'm really proud of it."

"You should be!" Bonnie said encouragingly, taking another swig of her beer. "I'm happy to hear it."

"What are you up to, Bon? Other than book club and your online classes? How's Grams?"

Bonnie gave her a bright smile and started to tell Caroline all about what was going on in her life, and Caroline soaked it up, making mental notes of small things that she heard that she should follow up on later. Grams probably needed some home-cooked meals now that it was harder for her to get around by herself.

They worked companionably, joking and chatting about television shows they were watching and town gossip. They were interrupted after a few hours of decorating by Matt coming in, tugging a cart of heavy-looking wooden boards behind him. "Is that the stuff for the back of the float?" Caroline asked, perking up.

"Yep! Just let me know when you're almost done with the decorations and we can fit it on the back."

"Sure," Caroline said, taping the last streamer end to the float and backing up to assess their work critically, her eyes narrowed as she dragged her gaze over the entire cart, looking for flaws. "I think we're actually mostly done now. Anything else other than working on the back will overdo it."

Bonnie let out a sharp breath. "Thank god. I thought you were never going to let me finish."

Caroline shot a chastising look at her friend, though she honestly totally understood where Bonnie was coming from. It was hard work, and they'd both gone through a beer and a half to get through it.

"Do you need help with the boards, Matt?"

"Nope! I should be good to go. Just come back in an hour or so and you'll be able to do the back decorating parts."

"Sure!"

Caroline moved to get out of the way as Matt picked up a board, though when he swung it around to step to the back she took a step in the wrong direction, resulting in the board slamming into her side. She screamed in pain, and she heard the board clatter to the ground as Matt started apologizing frantically, Bonnie running up to look at the wound.

Caroline fought back tears. It hurt  _ so much _ , her entire side in a huge amount of pain. "God, that  _ hurt _ ."

"It looked like it," Bonnie said, bending down to lift Caroline's shirt slightly to look at the bruise. "Yeah, that doesn't look good. We should go see Dr. Lockwood."

"He's out until next week on vacation, remember?" Caroline asked, sniffling and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand to keep her from getting dirt on her face and making everything worse."

"Maybe you should see Klaus, then."

"Nope," Caroline said firmly. "Absolutely not. I'm totally fine."

"Yeah, you seem it," Bonnie said sarcastically as Caroline stumbled slightly trying to walk it off.

"I'm fine," Caroline repeated. "I just need to go home and lie down."

"If you say so," Matt said, shrinking at Bonnie's poisonous glance. "What? If she says she's fine..."

"Says the person who hit her with the board."

"It was an accident," Matt said defensively. "Seriously, Bon. Stop going all fierce protector on me."

Bonnie didn't apologize, not that Caroline expected her to, instead looking critically at the float before turning back to her. "Listen, how about Matt takes you home and then comes back and helps me finish up. I'll supervise him while he does the back, and then he'll help me decorate the rest. Right?"

Matt cowered under Bonnie's stern glare. "Yeah. Yeah. I can do that."

"Are you sure you can finish it?" Caroline asked nervously.

"Yes. It'll look good! I promise. Maybe not as good as it would if you stayed, but I really think that if you're not going to go to the doctor you should rest," Bonnie said firmly. "Okay?"

"I really want to work on the float," Caroline said reluctantly, recoiling under Bonnie's harsh glare. "But fine. I'll go rest. Text me pictures?"

"Of course," Bonnie said, clearly relieved Caroline was going to go home as directed. "Whatever you want as long as you stay in bed."

"Cross my heart," Caroline said, making the motion. "I'll totally rest for tonight."

"Any chance you'd stay in bed through tomorrow?"

"Nope! Bar's gonna bar. I need to be there."

"Okay. I guess that's as good a promise as I'm gonna get, huh?"

"Yep!"

"Let's go then," Bonnie said, nodding at Matt, who wiped his hands off on his jeans and took his keys out of his coat pocket. "I'll finish up what I can while he drops you off."

"Thanks, Bon. You're the best."

"Just rest. Promise?"

"Yeah. I promise."

**XXX**

"Thank you, love," Klaus said when Caroline approached with his tea, earning a raised eyebrow and a small smile.

"Wow, a real thank you? I feel like you're somehow doing better, despite your jerky personality," Caroline teased, bending down to put his tea in front of him, careful not to disturb her injury.

"I'm sure my mother's ears would burn from the other side of the Atlantic if I didn't mind my manners," he said with a dimpled grin. "D'you want to sit with me for a bit?"

She glanced around, realizing that there were no other customers and she was ahead of work for the day. She could probably make up an excuse, but Klaus could be fun to talk to.

"I guess," she said, sitting down slowly. If he noticed how gingerly she was moving, he didn't comment, taking another sip of his tea.

"How's your third month?"

"Of the bar being open? It's going fine. I think everyone's sort of getting the hang of how things are supposed to work."

"I'm glad to hear that, love."

"And you? How's work going?"

"Better. I'd say that I wished people would come in with more interesting problems than the normal sort, but it's giving me enough for my quota, and I suppose it can't be helped in a community this small."

"Oh right, your issues with small-town problems," Caroline said dryly, grinning at Klaus's exasperated look.

"It's not necessarily a small-town problem. New York just had a bit more of a variation in the cases by virtue of having more people."

"I'm just teasing," Caroline reassured him, grinning. "It'll probably take awhile for people to trust you with the crazier stuff. I know you're used to dealing with more interesting things, but everyone's been going to Dr. Lockwood for like, 20 years. Just give it time and people will start trusting you with their weirder problems."

“You’re right,” he said, with all the enthusiasm of someone about to go in for a root canal.

“How much did that hurt to say?” Caroline teased, unable to stifle her smile at Klaus’s glare.

“Enough that you’ll likely never hear it again.”

“Sounds fake, but okay. I'm going to grab a water. Do you want another tea?" Caroline asked, getting up and hissing as red-hot pain shot up her side, biting her lip to keep from crying out.

"What's wrong?" Klaus asked sharply, his gaze scanning her up and down before landing on her hand, which was pressed against her side. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly, knowing from how his spine straightened and his eyes narrowed that the quick reassurance was the wrong thing to say. 

"You don't look it. Where are you hurt?"

"I'm just a little sore from when I accidentally got hit with the board. It's not a big--"

"You  _ what _ ?"

"We were building the founder's day float and--It's not important. Look, the point is that I'm fine."

"Where did you get hit?"

"Klaus--"

"Caroline, it could be serious," he said impatiently, steering her to a chair and gently pushing her to sit, his eyebrows shooting up when she hissed in pain. "Where are you sore?"

"If I let you look and see that I'm fine will you leave me alone?"

"I doubt you'll be 'fine', but if you are, then yes. Can you lift up your shirt for me? Just the waist."

She obeyed, wincing when he gently brushed his fingers along her swollen skin, his lips pressed in a thin line. "When did you get hit?"

"Two days ago. I googled it and I think it's a bruised rib, so I--"

"You thought you bruised a rib and you didn't come in to see me?"

"The medical website thing said I just had to ice it and take a ton of Advil. I knew if I went in you'd get all weird."

"Weird?" Klaus repeated exasperatedly. "You mean that I'd put you on bed rest?"

"Yeah, and I have things to do."

"The bar can survive a few days without you, I'm sure."

"But it doesn't need to. Because I'm fine."

"A self-diagnosed bruised rib isn't fine, Caroline. Let me take you to the office."

"Klaus, seriously. It's not a big deal."

"I'll be the judge of that, shall I?"

"You  _ shan't _ ," Caroline said firmly. "If you care that much I'll go see Dr. Lockwood when he gets back on Monday."

"Too late. What if it's not just bruised? Come on, Caroline. I promise that it'll take an hour or less. If you're as fine as you say you are, you'll be back on your feet in no time."

She huffed, weighing her options. Klaus wouldn't stop bothering her until she went, and she had things to do. Sure, he'd overreact, but hopefully if she played along he'd trust her enough to leave her alone and she could go back to work. "Fine."

He looked relieved, holding his hand to help her out of her seat. She didn't take it, breezing past him and trying her best not to look like she was in pain with every step. 

He'd just use that to say she should stay home.

She bristled when he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye while they walked the few blocks to the doctor's office, clearly checking for any sign of pain. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what, love?"

"Like I'm about to collapse."

His lips twitched. "My apologies, sweetheart."

He held the door to the office open for her and nodded to Camille, the girl who worked at the front desk. 

"You have a patient waiting," Camille said, nodding at Aurora, who was sitting in the waiting room contentedly tapping away at her phone.

"She can wait. It'll be quick," Klaus said, waving Camille off impatiently. "Right this way, love."

He watched with suspicious eyes as she slowly lowered herself onto the examination table, successfully fighting off a wince. He didn't seem convinced that she was fine, though, sitting on a rolling stool and scooting towards her. "This will be easier if you take off your jumper." 

She snorted. "Jumper?"

"I can call Camille in to supervise, if you like."

"Supervise?" Caroline asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Yes, to ensure I'm doing nothing untoward. It's normal practice now. Perhaps not in small-town Virginia, but in New York it's fairly common."

"Oh, of  _ course _ . You and your special New York doctoring. Far be it from me to prevent you from practicing however it makes you comfortable."

"It's entirely up to you," he said, clearly making an effort to keep his tone pleasant, though she could hear the twinge of irritation.

"No reason to bother her if it'll be quick," Caroline said, reaching to take off her sweater, the sudden movement making her wince, though she set it and her blouse on the table beside the chair, wincing when Klaus reached to touch her ribs, pressing gently and shooting her an apologetic look when she let out an involuntary yelp of pain.

"My inclination is to say it's a cracked rib rather than a bruised one, though we'd have to get x-rays to know for sure. Treatment for either is roughly the same, though the cracked rib would take longer to heal. It's possible that it's broken, but I highly doubt it. We could also see that through an x-ray. Would you like me to write you a referral to Whitmore General? Or would you rather act as if it's cracked just to be safe and stay off your feet for a few weeks?"

"Both of those options suck."

He gave her an unrepentant dimpled smile. "I'm aware. However, the important thing is to know for sure whether you can work, and to that I'd recommend not."

"Not possible. We just got started and my staff are barely competent with me there. Who knows what a disaster it would be without me."

"I understand, love. However, I don't think it's best to risk harming yourself further. Then I'd have to insist you go to Whitmore General, and that would tear you away from your bar even longer. Put an ice pack on it with a cloth underneath it for twenty minutes a few times a day, all right?"

"I can't afford to take off that long!"

"Look, at least this way you can go there to supervise, even if you can't do anything strenuous."

"But--"

"And I'll help you out for a few days, if you're so concerned," he said. 

Her jaw dropped, something he found rather amusing if his smirk was any indication. Jerk.

"You'd do that?"

"To keep you from further injuring yourself? Of course."

**XXX**

[Caroline][8:08pm]: Hey

[Caroline][8:08pm]: Can you do me a huge favor?

[Bonnie][8:11pm]: What kind of favor?

[Caroline][8:11pm]: I need you to deal with Klaus at the bar tomorrow

[Bonnie][8:12pm]: When did he become Klaus

[Caroline][8:12pm]: Doctor dipshit is too long to type every time

[Bonnie][8:13pm]: Uh huh

[Caroline][8:14pm]: What's that supposed to mean?

[Bonnie][8:14pm]: Nothing

[Bonnie][8:14pm]: Anyway, what do you mean deal with Klaus?

[Caroline][8:15pm]: Ever since he decided I was injured, he's been working at the bar to make sure I don't """strain myself"""

[Bonnie][8:17pm]: He didn't decide anything. 

[Caroline][8:17pm]: And he's been super annoying the entire time

[Bonnie][8:17pm]: You literally cracked a rib.

[Bonnie][8:17pm]: You're injured.

[Caroline][8:18pm]: Not the point Bon

[Caroline][8:18pm]: THE POINT

[Caroline][8:18pm]: Is that I do not want to have to watch him march around the bar the whole day giving him critiques on his performance 

[Caroline][8:19pm]: And having him do that stupid dimple thing

[Bonnie][8:19pm]: CRITIQUE HIM ON HIS PERFORMANCE

[Caroline][8:19pm]: And watch him like, lift things with his arms

[Caroline][8:20pm]: God that is NOT what I meant Bonnie

[Bonnie][8:20pm]: Oh my god

[Bonnie][8:20pm]: But you wish it was

[Caroline][8:21pm]: We've been over this, Bonnie. I think he's hot but undateable

[Bonnie][8:22pm]: It doesn't have to be a date, Caroline.

[Bonnie][8:22pm]: You can just have sex with him. It's allowed.

[Caroline][8:23pm]: I don't do no strings attached, Bon. You know that. 

[Bonnie][8:23pm]: And anyway, I can't do it tomorrow. I have plans.

[Caroline][8:24pm]: Plans??

[Bonnie][8:24pm]: Yes. Plans. I have book club.

[Caroline][8:24pm]: I know but can't you just skip book club to do me a teeny favor

[Caroline][8:25pm]: Please?

[Bonnie][8:25pm]: No.

[Caroline][8:25pm]: please please please please

[Bonnie][8:25pm]: No.

[Caroline][8:25pm]: please please please please please pleaseeeeeee

[Caroline][8:26pm]: Consider it your birthday gift. It's basically my birthday anyway.

[Bonnie][8:26pm]: It is not "basically your birthday"

[Bonnie][8:26pm]: Your birthday is in October.

[Bonnie][8:26pm]: It is AUGUST.

[Caroline][8:27pm]: Two months is close!!

[Bonnie][8:27pm]: I'm sorry, Caroline. You're going to have to suffer drooling over his arms all by your lonesome.

[Bonnie][8:28pm]: Though I might drop by for lunch just to see whether you two have boned already.

[Bonnie][8:28pm]: And to check on your well-being, obviously.


	2. Big City Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to Morgan for getting through this difficult time with me. Hope you all enjoy!

Caroline deeply regretted letting Klaus look at her ribs. Not because she didn't like feeling coddled, though she didn't, but because now he was helping her at the bar. His t-shirts were a bit too tight, and his jeans fit him _really_ well, and she kind of thought that the way they made him look should be illegal.

She watched the smooth movement of his arms as he cleaned the bartop, the way his forearms tensed when he was rubbing at a particularly stubborn stain. Every now and then he'd glance at her, a smirk on his face. "You're staring."

"I'm observing," she corrected. "I'm just making sure you know what you're doing so that you don't singlehandedly destroy the good reputation of my bar."

"Well, of course. We can't have that."

"Don't make fun of me," Caroline said, starting to stand up and sitting back down from the combination of the pain in her ribs and Klaus's chastising glance.

"I understand how important the bar is to you, love. It's your life's work."

"Well, to be fair, Matt owns half of it. It's a joint venture," she said, shifting uncomfortably. "I make the recipes and organize our shipments and business plan. He helps with restocking and bartending, and he does the accounting work. He also manages front of the house, usually."

"Because of your subpar customer service skills?" Klaus teased, tossing the rag under the bar and beginning to fold the napkins around the silverware.

"You're doing it wrong," Caroline said, shooting up and hissing in pain. Klaus dropped the silverware and came over immediately, guiding her to sit back down.

"I'll bring them over here and you can show me," he said, his hand warm on her shoulder through the thin fabric of her blouse. "Stop standing up. You'll be off your feet for longer."

"Yes, doctor," she said sarcastically.

"I do appreciate it when you respect my expertise and do as you're told," he said, his tone teasing, a contrast to the heated look he sent her that made her fairly certain she was turning the color of a tomato. He gave her a dimpled grin, bringing over the silverware and napkins and setting them down in front of her. "All right, love. Show me how you like it."

She rolled her eyes, grabbing the paper napkin from his hand and smoothing it out, ignoring the tingle she felt when their fingers brushed, hoping her blush wasn't noticeable with the lighting. "Okay, so you spread it out like this and put the silverware on. You put the knife first and then the fork and then the spoon. Then you wrap it up like this and tuck the ends in," she instructed, showing him slowly and grabbing a paper coil to wrap around it. "Then you bind it like this."

"All right," Klaus said, grabbing a napkin and three pieces of silverware and doing it exactly as she'd shown him. "Like this?"

His tone was low and raspy, a completely inappropriate cadence for the work they were doing in her personal opinion, and it made a shiver run down her spine. She swallowed, hoping it wasn't too audible.

"Yeah. Just like that. So do those until you run out of silverware and napkins. If you bring them over here, I can help you."

He brought over the bucket, and soon they were making the silverware bundles in companionable silence.

Caroline had never liked silence.

"So," she began, winding one of the paper strips around a finished napkin bundle. "How's the practice?"

"Going well," Klaus said. She tried not to get distracted by the way his long fingers elegantly constructed the napkin sets. "I have enough patients this month to make my quota, so that's quite the relief."

"Yeah, I'm sure. The deal is that you have to bring in at least 30% of the patients to hold onto your stake in the practice, right?"

"Yes. It's been difficult to build trust with the citizens of Mystic Falls, of course, but I'm hopeful my hard work will pay off."

Caroline snorted. "Hard work at flirting with the women who need check-ups you mean?"

"Now, you can hardly chalk it up to that, love. You should only have to get a physical once a year, and there aren't nearly enough people for that to meet my quota. They also fake illnesses."

That surprised a laugh out of her. "At least you admit that your bedside manner is terrible."

"You didn't seem to mind it," he teased. "The part you objected to was the advice, if I remember correctly."

Caroline tried not to blush at the memory of the heat of his fingers brushing gently against her skin. "Yeah, well, it would be nice if I could work at my own bar."

He nodded. "I understand. Just another few weeks and you'll be back to your dream job."

She grimaced before she could stop herself, feeling a bit trapped by Klaus's raised eyebrow. "Not a dream job, then?"

She shrugged. "I mean, it's a job and it's successful. I can't complain."

"You can," he said easily. "If it's not what you wanted."

She sighed, setting down her current silverware bundle and drumming her fingers on the table. "It's not that it's not what I wanted. I just...I wanted more, you know?"

"Like what?" he asked, looking at her intently, listening in a way that made her feel like he really wanted to know about her silly small-town dreams.

She was surprised that she was inclined to be honest with him, but no one had ever really wanted to know before. Everyone just sort of assumed that she was doing what she wanted. "I wanted to be a pastry chef," she admitted. "I studied for culinary school and everything. I decided to go to Whitmore and get an economics degree as a fallback, but I was hoping to leave after I got my degree. And then...'

"And then?" he asked when she trailed off.

"And then I was scared," she admitted. "I didn't know anyone in any of the places where the reputable culinary schools were, and I felt like it was too much of a risk. I didn't have any money or connections. When Matt offered up fifty percent of the bar, I felt like that was as good as it was going to get for me."

"That makes sense, I suppose."

Caroline snorted. "Says the person who literally picked up and moved five hundred miles to take over their dead father's medical practice where they knew no one."

"That's different," Klaus said, placing another silverware bundle on the pile in front of them. "I needed to get experience as a general practitioner to get to apply for the fellowship I want in New York. This was the easiest way for me to do that."

"Yeah, I guess."

"For what it's worth though, love, I think you'd like the big city."

"You don't even know me," Caroline said with a roll of her eyes, carefully arranging another set of silverware before rolling them up in a napkin.

"I'd like to," Klaus admitted softly. She looked up to see him giving her a dimpled grin. "But I have a feeling I'm right, regardless. I don't mean to criticize your small-town life--"

"Just the way you phrased that says otherwise," she interrupted, her tone dry.

"Fair enough," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "But I think you'd thrive. All the people and the sights... You'd like it, I think. If you ever decided to pursue your culinary dreams."

She shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe I'd fail and end up barely making ends meet with five roommates in a studio apartment. At least here I have my own place and a business."

"What's life without a little bit of risk?" Klaus asked, his eyebrows raised. "Perhaps you should take a chance, Caroline."

Caroline swallowed, setting another napkin bundle on the pile of silverware and clearing her throat. "Maybe. Anyway, one of these should go at each chair on a plate. Why don't you do that while I finish these up. Okay?"

Klaus gave her a look that indicated full well that he knew what she was doing, but he nodded, moving the pile of silverware to a bucket and beginning to walk around the room, arranging them at tables. Caroline continued to make the little bundles, staring down at her hands as she worked, determined to not meet Klaus's eyes.

Why had she been so honest with him? Ugh, these pain meds must really be getting to her head. Ibuprofen could totally make you say dumb things, right? Painkillers were painkillers.

Maybe she should avoid him until she was herself again.

**XXX**

[Caroline][9:06am]: Okay so like

[Caroline][9:06am]: just as a thought experiment

[Bonnie][9:07am]: you can stop saying thought experiment we both know youre talking about klaus this is not hypothetical

[Caroline][9:08am]: UM ITS VERY HYPOTHETICAL

[Bonnie][9:10am]: okay fine whats your “””thought experiment”””

[Caroline][9:14am]: what if it was more than the arms

[Bonnie][9:16am]: i think you are the only one who didn't know it was more than the arms

[Caroline][9:17am]: don't make fun of me!!

[Bonnie][9:18am]: Look Caroline

[Bonnie][9:18am]: I don’t like him and I don’t get why you like him

[Bonnie][9:18am]: But I support your choices. Even if they’re bad ones

[Caroline][9:19am]: Thanks?

[Caroline][9:19am]: I think?

[Bonnie][9:20am]: You’re welcome

[Bonnie][9:24am]: Also what are you up to today?

[Caroline][9:27am]: I’m going to drive to whitmore. I need the good butter from whole foods.

[Bonnie][9:28am]: You sure? I saw on the news that it’s going to rain.

[Caroline][9:29am]: Nana Forbes’ biscuits won’t make themselves!

[Bonnie][9:29am]: Be careful.

[Caroline][9:30am]: Will do!

XXX

Caroline turned the stereo up in her car, partly to sing along and partly because the rain was coming down so hard that she had to slow down to a snail's pace to make sure she didn't crash and was getting incredibly bored. She always took the back roads to and from Whitmore because they had less traffic, but they were much more dangerous in bad weather conditions. She'd been hoping that she'd beat the storm, but apparently the weather gods were not on her side.

But hey, free car wash, right?

She was belting out the latest pop chart #1 when she saw movement to the side of her and slammed on her brakes, hoping that she wouldn't hit the deer (bear?). She stayed put for a few seconds and turned down the stereo, turning on her brights. Of all the things she expected to see, Klaus bent over the hood of his car clearly swearing colorfully as rain dripped down his face had not been one of them.

She drove closer to him so that she could open her window to talk to him, frowning when he looked up and immediately began to shake his head, holding up his hands and yelling something. "Yeah, I see you. I'm not going to hit you," she yelled even though she knew he couldn't hear her. His concerns became clear, however, when she felt her car stall.

_Fuck_.

She opened her window, and Klaus walked up to it, entirely soaked. "It's mud," he yelled over the howling wind. "My car got stuck."

"I can see that," she yelled back, feeling frustration begin to mount. "I think mine's stopped too."

She heard thunder clap overhead and winced, Klaus looking up as well. "We need to find shelter."

"What are you talking about? Get in the car."

"We can't go anywhere," he argued, frowning.

"Yeah, I know, but lightning doesn't strike cars," she yelled back. "It's science!"

"Are you certain?"

"Oh my god, Klaus. Don't you trust someone who's lived here forever?"

He gave her a wary look but did as he was told, opening the door of her hatchback and climbing in. Caroline rolled up the window the second she could, reaching to turn the overhead light on and assess the situation.

Klaus's henley was sticking to him completely, and she had to stop herself from admiring the way it clung to him, redirecting herself to the clearly dire situation he'd found himself in, and now pulled her into as well.

_Focus, Caroline._

"How did you end up here?"

"I drove," he said dryly.

"No, seriously. Where were you trying to go?"

"I was hoping to catch you before you left Whitmore. You've been avoiding me, and I was hoping that being away from everyone you've known since birth would make it easier to have a conversation."

Caroline ran a hand through her hair, speaking loudly over the pelt of the rain against her car's roof. "I cannot believe that you thought that trapping us together during a rainstorm would be conducive to me wanting to have anything to do with you."

"I didn't mean to trap us," Klaus pointed out. "How was I supposed to know that the weather would be this bad?"

"I don't know, maybe you could have listened to literally all the locals who told you it was going to be this bad? Since we, you know, live here."

"I suppose so," he drawled, clearly not apologetic in the least, which only made her even more annoyed. "I thought I'd just meet you and get to the bottom of whatever strop you're in."

Her jaw dropped. " _Strop_? Seriously?"

"I don't know what I've done to make you cross with me. I thought we were finally getting on rather well."

She put turned off the ignition of her car, knowing that leaving it on for too long would bite them in the ass later, her hands shaking slightly as soon as the heat cut, the chilly air biting at her skin. "Why are you here, Klaus?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, love. We're stuck in the rain."

She gave him a piercing look, one that she leveled at the most annoying of people. He didn't even flinch. "I mean like, here. In Mystic Falls."

"My father left me his medical practice--"

"You didn't even know he was your father until six months ago," Caroline pointed out. "After you came. No normal city person runs away to the middle of nowhere to take over a dead person's medical practice. Why did you come?"

Klaus took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I didn't get the fellowship I wanted. One of the surgeons suggested that I get some experience as a general practitioner before I applied again next year. I suppose I felt like doing something different might give me a better idea of what field I wanted to pursue."

"Again, I know that. Try again."

"That's honestly it, love. It was just the right opportunity at the right time. I came here to get experience, as was advised."

Caroline snorted, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. "Yeah, and that's going real well."

"I rather thought it was," he said, looking vaguely amused. "The town's warmed up to me enough that I'm getting the patients I need to get the fellowship."

"Only the girls who want to simper all over you."

He gave her a dimpled grin. "As we've discussed, they do count as patients."

"It's revolting." 

"I suppose that it's good to know you've noticed despite your complete determination to avoid me."

She stiffened, pursing her lips when he raised an eyebrow, clearly realizing he'd hit the mark. "I'm not avoiding you," she deflected, not wanting to get into the whole can of jealousy worms.

"You are. And I've been wondering why."

She huffed, looking out the window at the pounding rain with a toss of her hair. "Because you annoy me."

He cocked his head to the side, giving her a look that indicated that he knew exactly how big of a box of lies _that_ was, but she wasn't about to admit the reason why to his face. The fact that he'd started creeping into her dreams every now and then with his wicked smirk and attractive accent was a fact that only she knew, and she wanted it to stay that way. Klaus wasn't going to stay in Mystic Falls forever. He'd said it himself: it was the right opportunity at the right time. He had a bigtown New York life he was going to run back to the second he could, and no matter how curious she was about what things might be like outside the borders of her tiny hometown, she wasn't about to date someone who would end up being just another person who didn't think she was enough to stay for. It just wasn't worth it.

"Now, love. We both know that's not entirely the case," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked grumpily, glad that her clothes were dry, at least. Klaus was clearly freezing even if he was trying not to show it.

"All of the evidence seems to show I've been growing on you."

She snorted. "Evidence? Like this is some science experiment?"

She flinched when the crack of thunder hit unexpectedly, the flash of lightning following a few moments later making her grimace. Klaus flinched, his lips thinning when he saw that she'd noticed. "The big storms usually last for a few hours here," she said quietly, answering his unasked question. "I think it'll be over within the next hour or two. Then we can call a tow truck."

He nodded to show that he'd heard, still frowning. She wondered what he was thinking about. They sat in silence for a few excrutiating minutes, and she gave a deep sigh, leaning back in her seat.

"All right, love?"

"Yeah. Just annoyed I'll be stuck here with you for another hour at least."

"Would it be so bad?" he asked, his tone containing none of the teasing lilt she'd expected.

"Um..." Caroline started. "Well, you've behaved okay so far, I guess."

His lips twitched. "Good to hear, I suppose."

She wrapped her arms around herself protectively, trying to pass off the sudden need to put distance between them as a chill, and his expression softened when he looked at her. "I have a jacket in my car if you'd like. I can pop out and get it."

"Wouldn't it be all wet?"

"I have plastic bags in the glove compartment. My siblings like nothing more than leaving a mess when we're not near to a bin."

She was definitely tempted. "Are you sure? It's freezing."

"Not a problem, love," he said, out before she could respond. She watched him in the low light trudging to his car through the mud and wincing when she realized she was definitely going to have to get the carpets cleaned later.

_So much for a free car wash._

She pulled the hoodie on the second he handed it to her and pulled it on, zipping it up to the top. It was infuriating that he was being such a gentleman. His stupid New York lack of manners had been one of the only reasons she'd been able to hold out, convinced that anyone who was so rude even on their best behavior would be even worse once she got to know them, but if he chose anytime to be chivalrous she was glad it was now.

"Thanks," she said, pulling the cords on the hood tight and sticking her hands in the pockets to try and warm up. It smelled like him, and she found she didn't mind. "Won't you be cold?"

"I'll be all right," he said with a tight lipped smile.

From the soaked, thin henley he was wearing she highly doubted it, but she wouldn't question her good fortune if it ended up with her being warm and toasty. Unfortunately, all of the safety information that the camping her father had made her do as a kid had wormed its way into her head, and she talked before she could filter. "You should take your shirt off," she said, flushing as she spoke and pressing on, lest he get the absolute wrong idea that she _totally_ didn't want him to have. "Wet clothes make you get hypothermia faster."

"I'm aware," he said, his lips twitching. "I'm a doctor, love."

"Then why haven't you--"

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

She snorted. "That's never stopped you before."

He gave her a chiding look. "Swimming isn't the same thing as being in close quarters."

"Well, luckily I have zero problems holding back from ogling you. Since, you know, you're a jerk."

"Do you honestly think I've been that horrible to you?" he asked, pulling off his shirt in one smooth movement and putting it in the bag he'd brought his hoodie over in. "I thought I'd been nice enough. Nicer than I usually am, truth be told."

_God,_ he was hot. Ugh. "Yeah, I've noticed. Being the only person you're not a jerk to is not a compliment, by the way. Just saying."

"Fair enough," he murmured. "I'll endeavor to be more pleasant to the townsfolk in the future, then."

"Just like that?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Just like that. For you."

She rolled her eyes. "Laying it on a little thick, don't you think?"

"Is it working?" he asked, stretching in what she considered to be a completely unnecessarily sexual way.

"Do you want it to?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"I fancy you, Caroline. I thought I'd made that abundantly clear."

The earnestness of his words struck her, made her feel warmth build in her chest. No one had ever been so blunt before. Everyone else had made her work to hear it. That she was enough.

That they wanted her.

"I guess you sort of did," she admitted, going for a casual shrug and probably failing.

"And you?" he asked.

Well, it probably wasn't fair to leave him hanging like that. Not when she appreciated that he'd been so forthright with her. "I guess I _fancy_ you too," she said with a small smile. "But like, only when you're not being a jerk."

"Duly noted," he said, grinning.

They were interrupted by Caroline's phone blaring, Bonnie's name coming up on the screen.

"Hey, Bon."

"Hey, are you back yet? I just knocked on the door and you're not here."

"No," Caroline said awkwardly, catching Klaus's gaze and wincing. "I'm kind of stuck in the forest."

"Stuck in the forest?" Bonnie repeated, her tone brisk. "Caroline, I told you you shouldn't go out. You knew it was a big storm."

"Well, my car is stuck in the mud, as is Klaus's."

"Klaus? Why is Klaus there? Oh my god, Caroline! Did you finally--"

"His car was stuck, Bonnie," Caroline practically yelled, interrupting her friend before she could get anything embarrassing out. Klaus was _definitely_ close enough to hear, and despite their confessions, Bonnie's confirmation would be mortifying. "I stopped to help and my car got stuck, too."

Bonnie let out a sharp breath. "Okay. The storm is letting up here, so it should be past you in about a half hour or so. You should call the tow truck now so they can get on their way."

"Okay, mom," Caroline teased.

"Yeah, yeah. Just stay safe, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

"I guess we should call the tow, then."

"I guess we should," Caroline agreed, her voice slightly breathless at the way he was looking at her, drinking her in with dark eyes and a dimpled smile. She cleared her throat. "We can get them towed to my place. Does that work for you?"

"Of course, love. It's a short enough drive home from yours."

She grinned. "Who says you're driving home?"


	3. Friendly Competition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for bearing with me while I finished this chapter. I posted chapter two less than 48 hours after chapter one (I think?), so it's possible you didn't get a notification or see it on tumblr. I just wanted to flag that in case anyone walked into the sex scene from her in deep denial and got confused ;) Thanks to Morgan for beta work.

She moaned into Klaus's mouth when he pressed her against her front door, his hands wandering down her sides to settle on her hips, fingers hooking into the belt loops of her jeans to pull her closer. Caroline could hear the driver of the tow truck wolf whistle as he drove away, and she pulled back with a grimace. She felt her expression soften when she saw the way Klaus was looking at her. His eyes were soft, a small smile curling his lips. Even in the low light of the porch lamp she could see that his cheeks were flushed, his pupils blown out. "All right, love?"

"Yeah," she gasped out, the gross tow truck driver forgotten the second Klaus's lips and teeth touched the exposed part of her neck at her answer, her head clunking against her front door. She let out a soft whimper when his hand brushed along her ribcage in his haste to pull her flush against him, hissing in a breath.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he said hurriedly, taking a step back. "Forgot."

"It's fine," she said, her breathing ragged, heart still racing in her chest. "Here, I'll just... Let me unlock the door."

"I'll be more gentle," he assured her, his hand ghosting along her spine as she fumbled with the key, her skin lighting up at the light touch.

"What if I don't want gentle?" she asked, flashing a smirk over her shoulder as she finally got the door open. He reached to mold his palms to her hips, huffing when she playfully batted his hand away. They stumbled through the door as soon as it opened, Caroline's bag falling to the floor with a loud smack of leather against hardwood. She sucked in a sharp breath when he turned her around to pull her flush against him, her palms landing flat on his chest. She tipped her head back to let him press his mouth to hers, mapping the lean muscles with her fingertips, kissing him frantically. Klaus kept his hands to uninjured areas, his thumbs stroking the curve of her hipbone and the small of her back before wandering down to cup her ass, squeezing it lightly to make her moan. It took all she had to pull away instead of letting him lift her up and wrapping her legs around his waist.

Now that they were inside in the light, she was suddenly aware that her clothes were soaked through. Her white top was dripping water down her arms, the transparent fabric exposing the outline of her bra. It was one of her older ones, the nude lace fraying at the edges. Klaus didn't even seem to notice, his eyes fixed on her face as he fiddled with the hem of her shirt.

His skin was still damp from the rain as well, and when he shifted his weight from one foot to the other she realized that his jeans couldn't be comfortable. "You should take off your clothes. You're dripping all over my floor," she said, her gaze not faltering when he stared her down with a raised eyebrow.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were just-"

" _Obviously_ I'm trying to get you naked," she cut him off impatiently, already reaching for his belt to help, faltering when he grabbed her hands, squeezing them in his. "Unless you don't want-" she started before he interrupted her with a fierce kiss, his teeth nipping at her lips, making her moan and melt into him.

His voice was gruff and low when he pulled back "Oh, I do _want_ , sweetheart. Trust me. But not here. Bed."

"Fine," she said, shrugging, reaching to pull her top off and let it fall to the floor before bending to unbuckle her wedge sandals. "But get your wet clothes off first."

"As the lady wishes."

By the time she stood to wriggle her jeans off he was fully nude, unashamedly watching her as she bent over to peel the fabric away. "You're beautiful, Caroline. Truly."

There was something in his tone that made the pretty compliment seem like _more_ , somehow, but she wasn't about to inspect that too much. Sure, Klaus made her feel... _things_ , but she doubted he felt the same. He'd basically been blatantly checking her out for months now, had definitely been waiting for a chance to get her out of his system before he left for his probably-incoming fellowship and high-flying New York life.

Plus, something told her that Klaus knew what he was doing, possibly more than the boys she'd hung out with at Whitmore, and she was happy to enjoy the ride while it lasted.

"You're not so bad yourself," she said, laughing when he grabbed her hands to tug her forward, bringing them chest to chest and capturing her lips with his again, his hard cock pressing insistently against the inside of her thigh. They stumbled a few feet before Caroline broke away, still slightly breathless, and pulled him towards her bedroom. "I'm on the pill," she said, her voice breathless. "But I have condoms in the bathroom if you haven't been tested."

"Clean bill of health," he promised, letting her pull him down onto the bed and beginning to kiss down the side of her neck to her collarbone. "But you should be on top, love. So as not to disturb your injury."

Well, she wasn't going to argue with that.

"Get on your back, then," she said, sitting up on her knees and reaching down to take him in her hand, meeting his eyes briefly and waiting for his nod before she began to stroke him, shifting forward and grinning when she saw his eyes drag up and down her torso, his hands finding her hips to steady her. She lined him up with her entrance, her eyes closing as she sunk down onto him, her head falling back.

She moaned when she felt his hands begin to knead her breasts as she rolled her hips, him meeting her movements to find an easy rhythm that felt natural despite it being the first time they'd really allowed themselves to touch each other. She shivered when his palm dragged down her stomach before his finger found her clit, rubbing it in tight circles that made her whimper.

"Look at me, sweetheart," he demanded, smirking when she did, his dimples cutting into his cheeks. "You're so lovely, all flushed and wanting."

Biting back a grin, she reached to press her palms on his chest to balance herself as she continued to move with him, the throb at the apex of her thighs growing more insistent as he built her up with his fingers and his cock. "God, you're good at this," she murmured without thinking about it, her head sinking to hang between her elbows as she rode him, his thumb still making insistent circles around her clit.

She didn't have to look up to see his smug smirk. "I'm quite good at everything I put my mind to, I think. And right now, that's making you come apart for me."

She scoffed, but it just made him smirk wider, the twist of it mischievous, and she wasn't surprised when he reached around to pinch the flesh of her ass gently, the jolt of pan making her clench around him.

"Rude," she scolded, the word breathy and not nearly chiding enough, and he chuckled quietly.

"You don't like it?" he asked, the low, tempting tone sending a shiver down her spine at the promise of it.

"I don't...not like it," she allowed, moaning when he pinched her clit gently between his fingers, her breathing beginning to grow ragged. "Fuck, that feels amazing."

"Good." His eyes were glued to her as he seemed to note all of her reactions, the way that she shivered when he stroked the curve of her hip, how a light tug of her hair made her moan softly as much as she tried to restrain it.

She couldn't help but want to learn more about him in turn. As she watched the flutter of his lashes when she raked her nails down his chest, she vaguely wondered whether she'd be able to get him out of her system in just one go.

Every time he brushed his fingers against her skin, all she could think about was how she craved more of it. More of him. If she wasn't careful, she could easily convince herself that just one night with him wasn't enough.

"You close?" she breathed, feeling her high approaching as he began to rub her clit a bit more insistently, his cock hitting _just_ the right spot within her with every thrust.

He nodded, eyes still fixed on her face, his other hand cupping one of the cheeks of her ass, his nails digging in for just a moment to make her moan. "Like that, love?"

"Yeah," she managed to say, nodding frantically. "Do it again."

He did, grinning smugly as she fell apart around him, her fingers curling into the lean muscles of his chest. He came moments later with a soft groan.

His hands immediately found her hips when she rolled off of him. As she settled onto her back, he slung his arm around her waist just shy of her injury, his index finger tracing nonsense patterns on the soft skin of her abdomen. "Good, love?"

She hummed an affirmative, not quite up to forming a coherent sentence (and kind of wanting to avoid the inevitable smugness if she admitted that he'd _kind_ of rocked her world, just a little).

They laid there for a few minutes, just basking in the afterglow. Her body was melting into him like her curves were made to fit perfectly against the angles of his body. She couldn't help but moan his name softly when he began to press light kisses to the back of her neck and her ears, his hand beginning to trail down to the apex of her thighs.

"Klaus," she murmured softly, smiling at his noise of discontent when she began to disentangle herself from his arms. "I'm just going to put your clothes over my shower door to dry," she said, grinning when he held fast to her hips, pulling her flush against his front.

"It can wait," he said between soft kisses to her neck.

"They need to be dry so you can go home in the morning," she said, her teeth sinking into her lower lip when his face blanked for a moment before a smile grew back, though it was less genuine than it was before.

"And if I tried to tempt you to stay in bed with me the whole day?"

She gave him a look. "The only reason you're staying over tonight is that you literally can't go home. Friends with benefits don't cuddle."

"Is that what we are?" he teased, his eyebrows raised. "Friends?"

"I mean, yeah. Aren't we?"

He shrugged, that wicked smirk twisting his lips again, though something about it rang false to her. "I suppose if that's what they're calling it these days."

"Oh, do you call it something different in New York?" she asked, letting him pull her more fully on top of him, his hands wandering to grip the backs of her thighs. "Do you have big city words simple country folk like me wouldn't understand?"

"You're far from simple, Caroline," he said, the words seeming a bit too serious for the playful jab she'd sent. "I do apologize for what I've said about Mystic Falls and the people here. I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me to start over, hmm?"

She bit her lip, an idea hatching in her mind for what totally wouldn't be a date, but could be a fun outing.

"Then maybe you want to participate in a small town tradition that's coming up?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Do tell."

"A sort of scavenger hunt relay race hybrid. It's at a picnic they have every year when summer ends and the school year starts for the kids. Do you want to be my partner?"

He grinned, his dimples out in full. "I'd like nothing more."

"Great!" she said, returning his smile. "Hope you're up to the challenge."

**XXX**

[Caroline][1:24am]: We're home safe

[Bonnie][1:25am]: We, huh?

[Caroline][1:26am]: yeah so i just hypothetically had sex with klaus

[Bonnie][1:28am]: Mazel tov

[Bonnie][1:29am]: When's the wedding?

[Bonnie][1:29am]: And why is this hypothetical?

[Caroline][1:32am]: Because this hypothetical sex is very casual

[Caroline][1:33am]: on the "down low" etc

[Bonnie][1:33am]: Of course.

[Caroline][1:34am]: Very not serious

[Caroline][1:34am]: because he's the worst

[Bonnie][1:35am]: But the hypothetical arms, Caroline!

[Caroline][1:36am]: i can casually like his good arms bonnie

[Bonnie][1:37am]: Yeah, okay.

[Caroline][1:38am]: He agreed to be my partner for the picnic btw

[Bonnie][1:39am]: Ah. A date.

[Caroline][1:41am]: Not a date, Bon

[Bonnie][1:42am]: Ah. Two people who are having sex doing an activity together involving lots of touching and a picnic.

[Caroline][1:43am]: The picnic is a competitive activity!

[Caroline][1:43am]: I want to win this year, Bon

[Caroline][1:44am]: and he wants to learn more about mystic falls traditions

[Caroline][1:44am]: it's not a date

[Bonnie][1:46am]: Yes, you've made that clear.

[Bonnie][1:47am]: I'll see you at your competitive team activity that's totally not a date.

[Caroline][1:48am]: Can't wait!

[Bonnie][1:49am]: Yeah, I bet you can't.

**XXX**

"So it's a relay race, then," Klaus said slowly, clearly still struggling to process Caroline's directions.

"Sort of! We run over to that station where we put together a wheelbarrow, and then you'll push me in the wheelbarrow to the barn over there, where we'll blow up beach balls. We'll then take those beach balls to the water dunk station. You'll go sit on the chair at the top and I'll keep throwing the balls at the target until I hit it and you fall in the water, at which point we win. Sound good?"

"Why do I have to be the one in the dunk tank?"

"Because I spent time on my hair and makeup today?" she offered with her best winning smile, her hands clasped in front of her.

His returning smirk was wicked. "I think you just want to see me get soaked with my shirt off."

"I've already seen that," she reminded him, glancing around before moving closer to nip his ear lightly. "And if you ever want to re-enact that, we're going to win. Got it?"

"I'll do my best, love. However, I must confess that I don't know much about wheelbarrow construction."

"Was that not a significant part of your New York lifestyle?" she teased.

"I'm afraid not."

"Well, now you'll learn," she said, bumping him with her shoulder. "I'm sure you'll do great. You think you're good at everything, so it's time to prove that."

He snorted. "I hardly said I was good at _everything."_

"Everything you put your mind to," she reminded him, scanning the rest of the picnic-goers to scope out the competition. "And hopefully you'll put your mind to kicking ass."

He grinned. "And what do I get in return for my ardent participation?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She looked at him through thick lashes, reaching to hook her fingers through his front belt loop and tug slightly, her smirk turning wicked when he swallowed audibly. She leaned forward. "How about we go home to your place afterward to shower and you'll get my mouth exactly where you want it. Sound good?"

He hummed, smirking. "A bargain I can get behind, I suppose."

"You _suppose_?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

He bent to press a light kiss to her lips, his hand settling on her waist and squeezing lightly. "A bargain I'm delighted by," he murmured, pulling back to look at her with such intensity that she felt like her feet were rooted to the grass beneath her. She couldn't help but let a big grin stretch across her face, and she grabbed his hand in hers, trying to push out of her mind the little voice pointing out how _relationshippy_ that moment was.

She tugged him in the direction of the starting line and they lingered there as everyone else lined up, Caroline checking her phone obsessively to track the starting time. When the referee finally shot the gun in the air, the whole group took off in the direction of the dismantled wheelbarrows. There were five, one for each team of two, and Caroline fell to her knees by the pieces, waiting for Klaus to sit beside her before pulling them towards her.

"Doesn't it come with directions?" Klaus asked, looking a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of parts in front of them as well as the toolbox they came with.

"No. It 100% does not. Luckily for you, I totally know how to put it together."

Klaus watched as Caroline slotted the parts together methodically, handing her tools when she asked, and when she brushed a piece of hair out of her face and caught his eye, she felt her cheeks heat at the way he was looking at her, feeling like her heart had skipped a beat. "What?"

"Nothing, love," he said, reaching to pick up the screwdriver she'd asked for and passing it to her, a soft smile on his face. "Close to done, then?"

"Just about," she said, reaching to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and bending over the pieces again, slotting the wheel onto the spoke and twisting it to tighten the seal. She leaned back and inspected her work again. It would suck if the wheelbarrow fell apart while she was inside it. She clambered in, looking at Klaus expectantly when he'd taken the appropriate position at the handles. "We're going to the barn over there," she said, pointing at the small barn on the other side of the field.

They were the first ones done by about thirty seconds, and she shrieked as he began to push her very quickly, her hands reaching to grip the sides of the wheelbarrow as he ran. She could hear Stefan and Elena behind them, and she was thankful that Klaus at least seemed to understand that they needed to preserve their lead.

When they crossed the line marking the end of the station, she hopped out on wobbly legs, reaching for his arm to steady herself before they went into the barn.

"That was good," she said as she dragged him to the closest station, grinning when she saw that he was slightly out of breath. "Don't run much?"

"Not while pushing farm equipment," he pointed out. "More treadmills. That sort of thing. And not since I've moved here."

"Ah, fancy gym machines," she said, sending him a smile so that he'd know she was teasing and grabbing the nearest deflated ball.

She made deliberate eye contact with him as she licked her lips before wrapping them around the mouthpiece of the ball, blowing to begin inflating it. His lips twitched, though he followed her lead, blowing up his own. After a few breaths she pulled back to take a few deep inhales, her thumb pressed over the hole in the ball to keep the air from escaping.

"Tired, love?"

"A little," she admitted. "Luckily, all I have to do is throw the ball at the target after this."

"I'm honestly a bit surprised. I'm fully aware that you have extensive lung capacity-"

"Oh my god. Just _blow_ ," Caroline interrupted, shooting him a pointed glare when his dimples just cut further into his cheeks.

They finished before Stefan and Elena thankfully, and she was gracious enough to let them power walk to the dunk tank instead of full on sprinting. He handed her his phone, keys, and wallet before taking off his shirt and athletic shorts to reveal swim trunks and climbing up the ladder to sit on the little platform, looking at the water below him in distaste. "Don't worry, it's full of chlorine!" Caroline half-shouted. "No diseases. Probably."

"Let's just get this over with, sweetheart."

It took her a few tries, but she managed to land a toss before Elena, and she wouldn't deny that she felt a little bit smug watching Klaus fall into the water.

"And we have a winner!" the referee yelled, jogging over and grabbing her hand to hoist it in the air. "Caroline and Klaus! Go ahead and go to the table over there to get your prizes."

She lingered to wait for Klaus to come out, and she couldn't resist giving him a full once over when he emerged from the dunk tank, his torso still dripping. She glared at Aurora de Martel, who was looking at him like he was her next meal, though she backed off when she saw the look on Caroline's face.

"All right, love?" Klaus asked, clearly biting back a smile.

She tossed her hair, looking away from him and crossing her arms over her chest. Whoops. She hadn't meant for him to see. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem a bit miffed at Aurora for some reason. Can't fathom why. She's a lovely girl," he said, his smile all teeth, daring her to disagree.

"Oh, yeah. She's great," Caroline bit out, unable to come up with a compliment to send Aurora's way that didn't sound disingenuous. Why was she even trying, anyway? Klaus could flirt with whoever he wanted. It's not like they were exclusive or anything. They weren't even anything, themselves. They were friends with decidedly excellent benefits, but friends nonetheless.

As she watched Klaus's cheeks dimple at her completely obvious lie, felt the soar of her heart at his chuckle, it hit her that the last thing she wanted to be with him was friends. She'd known she liked him- _fancied him,_ even-but over the last few months, between their bickering and bantering and his pretty promises, she'd somehow fallen hard. Really hard.

Which _sucked_ , because he was going to move back to New York anyway, wasn't he? For the fellowship he wanted and would inevitably get? Her stupid heart could go mushy for him all it wanted, but it's not like it would be worth it to pursue anything, not when he'd just _leave_.

She accompanied him over to the prize table, holding his clothes under her arm while he toweled off as they walked, and he looked scandalized when he saw the prizes. A fresh-baked pie, a few gift certificates, and dinner with the mayor. "You forced me to fall in a tank of water for _pie_?"

"And the pleasure of winning!"

He shook his head, still looking a bit surprised, but his expression melted away when he saw her face, a dimpled grin emerging. "Well, I suppose the pleasure of beating Stefan and Elena is a prize in and of itself for you, isn't it?"

"Sure is!" she chirped, unable to suppress the grin that he was relatively non-judgmentally going along with her petty childhood rivalries. It was definitely the smoothest race she'd ever had, and it sucked that he'd be gone the next year. Of course she had to get attached to the one guy in town who wouldn't stand for getting stuck in small-town hell.

**XXX**

[Caroline][8:04pm]: So um hypothetically speaking

[Caroline][8:04pm]: I have a Klaus problem

[Bonnie][8:10pm]: How new and different

[Caroline][8:11pm]: Bonnie, seriously.

[Bonnie][8:12pm]: Sorry Care. What's up?

[Caroline][8:13pm]: I think I love him.

[Bonnie][8:15pm]: Oh

[Caroline][8:15pm]: Yeah

[Bonnie][8:16pm]: Is that a problem?

[Caroline][8:17pm]: We're ""CASUAL"" so yes

[Caroline][8:17pm]: It is a problem.

[Bonnie][8:18pm]: Are you going to tell him?

[Caroline][8:19pm]: No. Absolutely not

[Bonnie][8:19pm]: Why not?

[Caroline][8:20pm]: Because he doesn't like me back

[Caroline][8:20pm]: Obviously

[Bonnie][8:22pm]: Do you know that?

[Caroline][8:24pm]: I mean he said he "fancied me" but I think that just means he thinks i'm hot

[Caroline][8:24pm]: which like, duh.

[Bonnie][8:25pm]: I think that's a feelings thing too

[Caroline][8:26pm]: well we'll never find out

[Caroline][8:26pm]: I don't want to know

[Caroline][8:27pm]: I mean you said it yourself I have terrible taste in men

[Caroline][8:27pm]: Even if he does like me back it'll be a total disaster

[Bonnie][8:28pm]: You don't know that

[Caroline][8:29pm]: I don't want to find out

[Caroline][8:29pm]: This needs to stay firmly hypothetical

[Bonnie][8:30pm]: Are you sure?

[Caroline][8:32pm]: Yes. 100%

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Did you have any favorite scenes? Favorite lines? Still enjoying the Baroline friendship? Any predictions? I'm so excited to hear what you guys think of it. I'm loving writing this story, and I'm so glad you guys liked it too.


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